Magical Places
by Liz Jean Tonks
Summary: Welcome to Kaiser-Alley! When Fido Scamander decides to go to Ilvermorny for one year, his father, Newt, and his mother, Tina, travel with him to America to get the required things.


A/N: Part of **The International Wizarding School Championship** , Round 1

School: Beauxbatons

Year: 7

Theme: Ilvermorny

Prompts: **1). Diagon Alley/ Or your school's equivalent! [Location] (main prompt)**  
5). Newt Scamander [Main Character]  
16). "Actually, I think you will find that _ is greatest magical school in the word!" she/she exclaimed. [Dialogue] - insert the school of your choice here.

Word Count: 2600

Thanks to my Beta, Maria :)

* * *

Curiosity.

If Newt would be asked to describe his son's feelings in one word, it would be curiosity. And he supposed excitement, and nervousness. They were standing in the centre of a grand alley. The main road was about ten metres wide, and crossroads were leading away from the main road, into smaller lanes and roads, which then again had their own smaller passageways. From above, it looked like a huge maze. One grand building dominated the place; its walls were made out of glass so you could look inside, and it seemed to host about a hundred shops.

Outside this building, the light of the sun was shining brightly on Newt and his family. He took Fido's hand and smiled at him encouraging. Then he checked the list he was holding in his hand; it was two pages long and looked as if it was written with an electric typewriter.

'Crazy,' he said, 'one wouldn't think Ilvermorny's school books are that different from ours!'

Fido bent forward to glance at the paper. 'Dad,' he said nervously, 'what if the stuff they are learning is completely different from Hogwarts? What if I return to Hogwarts and find out I'm far behind everyone else?'

'But you won't be far behind everyone else, Fido,' said Tina. She took her son's hand to make him look into her eyes. 'If anything, you will find yourself way beyond everyone else. Because Ilvermorny is - '

'It's not more advanced than Hogwarts,' Newt said, and chuckled. 'Fido, you will be fine, I promise. We've discussed everything with Headmaster Dippet; if you are indeed behind everyone else you can simply do the OWLs next year, and everything's in order. But you don't have to worry; the curriculum doesn't vary that much within the schools. Surely you are going to learn loads at Ilvermorny, just as you would at Hogwarts.'

'Exactly,' said Tina. 'And you were so eager for your year at Ilvermorny, weren't you, sweetheart?'

'Of course I was,' he mumbled. 'I can't wait to see your school, Mum.'

Tina smiled, and looked back at the list. 'We won't need a wand and a cauldron,' said Newt amused, 'blimey, these Americans think we Brits have a completely different way of doing magic, don't they? Putting this on a list of a fourth-year student... Anyway, what we are going to need is your books, robes and - ' He looked up. 'Tina, what's that there? A harp, violin or piano?'

'Of course,' she said, 'how else should he be able to take part in orchestra lessons?'

'The what?' Newt and Fido asked at the same time.

'Weren't you taught music at Hogwarts?'

Newt took the list. 'No, we weren't,' he said.

'How could they not teach it?' Tina asked in disbelief. 'It used to be my favorite subject! Each beginning and ending of the year we would perform with our orchestra in front of the class, and the lessons were a lot of fun – we were learning all kinds of spells to do beautiful music, and the examinations were always very simple. You will love it, Fido, you'll see.'

'But I'll miss Care of Magical Creatures,' mumbled Fido. 'It was loads of fun.'

'Yeah, it's a pity we don't have that,' Tina agreed.

Newt smiled at his wife, and she smiled back. They still had something to give to Fido, and he couldn't wait to see if his son liked it.

'Let's get the things then,' Fido said eagerly. Tina nodded.

'You go,' Newt said, and his eye twinkled. Tina smiled at him.

Newt looked after his wife and son as they were walking down the alley and couldn't help but smile proudly. He admired his son for leaving his regular school to experience an entirely different one, and he was sure Fido would love it.

But first he needed to find a quiet place. Newt looked around. The alley was amazing. It had been Tina's idea to journey here together and buy the required things for Fido. Here at Kaiser-Alley you could find everything your wizard's heart desired – and even more. Newt was actually wondering who came up with the idea to call it an "alley" - shopping mile might have been a more suitable way. Newt thought you could probably pass this street with a carriage, pulled by four thestrals and it would be no problem. Compared to Kaiser-Alley Diagon Alley looked like the smallest corner of the world. And there were shops everywhere. Literally – everywhere.

Every single spot, small may it be was filled with a store. And not only one-floor-shops – some of them reached towered into the sky. It was overwhelming, truly overwhelming. Newt looked around. He wouldn't like everyone to give him odd looks, so what he needed was a quiet place to get into his case. A little lost, he walked down the alley to find a deserted corner. He passed all kinds of curious shops – Barneby's Bandy Bludgeons, All of Anna's Awesome Authors (for a brief second Newt wondered if that included Magical-Beasts-Authors) and Sam's Secret Section, to mention only a few of them. The shops were painted in all colours; one shop selling candy was designed to look like a rainbow. At another one you could buy a portrait of yourself. The road was mostly paved, and some smaller lanes away from the centre were built out of glass, so you could see the ground beneath. Down there, house elfs were walking around – Newt assumed they were responsible for the communication between the shops, since they were carrying rolls of parchment. Everywhere you could spot signs advertising their products. People were walking around, holding tubs with ice-cream and sweets Newt had never seen before.

When they had talked about Kaiser-Alley Newt had always wondered why they had anti-apparation spells on this place. Now he thought he had the answer. If many wizards were to apparate in and out as they pleased, there would be chaos.

He wondered how huge Ilvermorny had to be, if this was its largest shopping alley. It had never occurred him, but seeing that almost every American wizard was going to Ilvermorny, he realised that the building had to be huge, and that the school probably hosted way more students – and then, probably, also teachers – than Hogwarts. Hopefully Fido would be fine with so many people.

Newt knew that he himself wouldn't like to go to such a grand school, but he also knew that Fido wasn't like him in that matter. He remembered how they had visited New York and how amazed the boy had been by the city. Surely **,** he would love Ilvermorny.

At least if it was as great as Tina made it out to be.

Newt turned left, looked around hopefully, and smiled **,** relieved. Here it was, the deserted corner he had been looking for. He looked around, put down his suitcase, and looked at the huge clock that was hanging from one of the buildings. It had taken him almost one hour to find this place. Newt frowned and wondered how he would possibly be able to find Tina and Fido later, but he decided that he should worry about that later.

He opened his suitcase and carefully put a foot in. He had been thinking long and hard about whether it was a good idea to give Fido a creature, and especially, which one, but he thought that he had found just the right animal for his son.

'No, I can't stay with you,' he said, as he entered the suitcase, and the Niffler approached him and started jumping up and down. Lately Newt's case was rather empty – every creature he had once kept in here had been released into nature, where it belonged. It had broken Newt's heart, but it assured him to know they were where they should be, and people would do them no more harm.

And for Fido it would be the same thing. It had taken Newt a bit of time to agree with Tina that an exchange year might be good for their son – he hadn't been in favour of the idea all the time. But in the end, it was what Fido wanted and it would be good for him, Newt would be sure.

There were only a few creatures left, including the Niffler - Newt had released him, but he kept crawling back to him - Pickett – who didn't want to leave in the first place – and a handful of other creatures that he was caring for until they were healthy enough to be able to deal with what awaited them in the wild. And then there was the Clabbert, which seemed to have suffered some sort of a genetic defect – it was much smaller than it should be, and could never survive on its own. Tina and Newt had found him together, a few weeks ago **.** Newt would never forget how happy he had been when Tina had, in spite of her hesitation towards wild animals, suggested to keep him.

'Come on, Ranny,' he said **.** He couldn't help but smile at the creature. Some would maybe call it ugly – Clabberts resembled a mixture between a frog and a monkey, but he was sure Fido would appreciate the beauty of the creature. The creature's size wasn't an issue to itself, apart from the fact it couldn't provide itself with food by its own **.** Newt was sure he would make the perfect pet for Fido to take to Ilvermorny.

Unlike some other beasts, the Clabbert was also known in America, so everyone should be fine with Fido taking one with him.

Newt and Tina had checked and double-checked **,** but nowhere in the form it had said that pets weren't allowed at Ilvermorny.

He crawled out of his case again, careful to hold the Clabbert tightly.

When he was out, he quickly shut the suitcase shut and then walked quickly back to where he had left Tina and Fido **.** Surely they had already gotten everything and were wondering where he was.

Indeed, when he had reached the corner they had departed, Tina and Fido were waiting for him, looking around. Tina's face looked concerned **.** Newt waved with his hand, and she smiled and waved back as she spotted him.

Through the masses of people, Newt carefully made his way through to them. Tina looked down at his hand. 'What took you so long?'

'Crowded place, Kaiser-Alley,' he replied. Fido curiously gazed at his hand.

'What is it you got there, Dad?,' he asked eagerly. Newt smiled, and put the animal on Fido's hand.

'It's a Clabbert, Fido,' he said.

Fido frowned for a second, and then beamed. 'Yes, of course,' he said, 'I remember reading about those in your books! Blimey, he's cute. I had imagined Clabberts to be bit bigger, from what I have read about them. This guy is precious.'

'They are,' said Newt, 'they are bigger, usually. Ranny is suffering from a genetic defect, but he's fine apart from that.'

Fido started stroking the little animal. 'Do you like him?,' Newt asked.

'Sure!' Fido didn't seem to be able to take his eyes of the animal.

It made Newt so proud to see his son as eager for Beasts as he was – proud, and happy. 'You can have him,' he said.

Fido looked up. 'I can have him? Really?'

'Sure. You can take him to your new school. They are loyal and good companions, so you already have at least one good friend at your new school. And he's so small you could carry him in your pocket even during class. Maybe you shouldn't let your teachers know, though.' He twinkled at his son.

Fido beamed. 'Awesome! Thanks, Dad.'

Newt and Tina exchanged a smile.

'Could you get everything you need?' Newt asked. Fido was too busy with stroking Ranny and watching him walking over his hand, but Tina answered. 'Yes,' she said, 'robes, books and a harp.'

'Okay,' said Newt, 'is there anything else we need? Fido, would you like a broomstick, maybe, or something else?'

'We got him a book about Wild Magical Beasts in America's Oceans,' informed Tina.

'You know I can't stand flying, Dad,' Fido said. Newt smiled. That was his boy.

'Of course you don't. But it would have been possible... Anyway, should we get going then?'

Tina looked at Fido. 'What about having some ice-cream before we're off? I'm quite hungry, and you need to try some American ice-cream, it's the best in the world!'

'"The best in the world",' Newt said teasing. 'Like everything else, of course.'

Tina laughed. 'Correct. So what do you say, boys?'

Fido nodded eagerly and opened his pocket so Ranny could get in.

'Yes, let's try some ice-cream. If it's good, I might be willing to forget the mass of people that are crawling around here, and remember our trip fondly, so one day I might want to return.' He smirked at Tina, and she laughed.

'Mum?' asked Fido once they were seated and had three huge tubs of ice-cream in front of them.

'Yes, honey?'

'Is everything in America so... huge?'

Newt looked at her. There it went. Hopefully today's trip to Kaiser-Alley hadn't discouraged Fido to go to Ilvermorny.

'Well, not everything,' said Tina, 'but don't worry, Fido, you will get used to that in no-time.'

'Worry?' His eyes got bigger. 'Why worry, Mum? I love it! Kaiser-Alley is the best place I've been to in a long time – although, Diagon Alley is quite nice, too.'

Tina laughed in relief. 'You will love it at Ilvermorny,' she said **. '** Who knows, maybe you will love it so much you won't even feel the need to return to Hogwarts.'

'Never.' Newt and Fido spoke at the same time, and grinned at each other.

'Mum, America's nice and everything,' Fido explained, 'but no place can hold its own against Hogwarts.'

'Exactly.' Newt still grinned.

'Ilvermorny may be fine, but compared to Hogwarts -'

'Actually, I think you will find that Ilvermorny is greatest magical school in the word!' she exclaimed.

'The old argument,' Newt laughed. 'I can't wait to hear your stories about Ilvermorny, Fido. And I have to say -' he looked at his wife – 'in spite of the fact I feel a bit cramped and restricted – not to mention the fact it would take you years to get from one end of Kaiser-Alley to the other one – and the noises – I actually have taken a liking at least to this ice-cream.'

Tina smirked at him. 'You little square,' she said affectionately. 'How many times have we been to America, and still you can't admit it's an awesome place.'

Newt smiled and took Fido by his right hand, Tina by his left. 'It doesn't matter what the place is like,' he said, 'if you are with nice people.' He looked at both of them. 'We will miss you, Fido,' he said, 'it's always a bit painful to see you off to school.'

'Dad,' Fido said uncomfortably, 'it's not a big deal.'

Newt laughed. 'That's my boy,' he said.

Fido smiled at Newt and Tina. 'Thanks for a great day,' he said, **'** and thanks for Ranny.'

'You're welcome,' said Newt gently.

Tina's hand reached out for his own, and pressed it slightly. 'That was a good idea,' she said, looking affectionately at her son, who gazed around the room.

Newt smiled. 'And it was a good idea of you to let him experience Ilvermorny.'

In Fido's pocket, Ranny made rustling sounds. One happy family and a Clabbert at one table, eating ice-cream.


End file.
